With a background in corporate compliance and litigation, Partner Amanda Walker assists global and innovative companies grow their businesses and resolve disputes. Amanda focuses her practice on corporate counseling, intellectual property, data privacy, and business disputes. She also advises companies and individuals on compliance issues, including compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Amanda works with clients in a wide range of industries, including technology, fashion, hospitality, telecommunications, and entertainment, to navigate corporate concerns, develop effective intellectual property strategies, address compliance issues, and resolve business and IP disputes. She provides efficient and practical advice and never loses sight of what best serves her clients’ needs and goals.

Prior to founding WSC, Amanda was a Counsel in WilmerHale’s Investigations and Criminal Litigation practice group.

Amanda’s accomplishments have earned her consistent recognition as a Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Star. She is involved with the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator at the La Kretz Innovation Campus, Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, International Trademark Association, International Network of Boutique Law Firms, and has an active pro bono practice, representing unaccompanied minors in asylum cases. She has also presented to various groups regarding issues facing innovating and emerging businesses.

Amanda attended Yale University before obtaining her law degree from USC, where she served as the Executive Articles Editor for the Southern California Law Review. During law school, she completed an externship for Judge Charles R. Breyer of the District Court for the Northern District of California.

Amanda spent two years in Ningbo, China on a Yale-China fellowship. She has also lived in Argentina, Uruguay, and Spain.

Corporate Counseling and Data Privacy

Serving as outside, in-house counsel for growing companies of all sizes, Amanda represents clients on a broad range of corporate matters, including formation, drafting and negotiating commercial contracts and agreements, developing effective intellectual property strategies, developing and implementing corporate policies, addressing compliance issues, and resolving disputes. She also helps clients prepare for and respond to risks presented by evolving data security and privacy obligations by developing corporate policies and procedures and advising on best practices. With an emphasis on understanding the intricacies of her clients’ business, Amanda navigates innovating clients through the various stages of their growth to ensure their needs and goals are met and to assume and resolve their challenges.

Intellectual Property

Amanda’s practice spans a wide range of intellectual property matters, including trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and other business transactions. She devises and implements intellectual property strategies tailored to her clients’ needs to protect their assets and brands, develop their IP portfolios, and stop infringement and brand dilution. Amanda advises on the acquisition, enforcement, and defense of intellectual property rights, including by conducting trademark and copyright prosecution, responding to any opposition or challenges, monitoring trademarks, and growing brands internationally, including overseeing relationships with international local counsel when needed. Amanda also represents clients in intellectual property disputes, including all phases of litigation, from pre-suit investigation through to resolution.

Investigations and Compliance

Amanda advises clients on compliance issues, including compliance with the FCPA. She represents global companies and individuals in FCPA investigations and other government and internal corporate inquiries, including conduct in China, Russia, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, Peru, Egypt, Puerto Rico, and the United States. She has extensive experience conducting witness interviews overseas, including in Spanish, and conducting meetings with the DOJ, SEC, and other agencies to resolve her clients’ most complex, high-stakes matters.

One of Amanda’s notable successes was securing declinations from both the DOJ and SEC on behalf of her client Cisco Systems, Inc. in a high-stakes FCPA investigation. Read Article

Amanda works with clients to identify compliance risks, including assessing their compliance programs and improving the programs and related procedures for consistency with industry best practices. She also navigates government requests of her clients, including responding to subpoenas and search warrants.

Giving Back

Amanda partners with Immigrant Defenders Law Center to represent unaccompanied minors in asylum cases, giving a voice to children who would otherwise be forced to endure immigration court alone.

Amanda also partners with the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) at the La Kretz Innovation Campus and provides office hours to companies driving the innovation and growth of Los Angeles’ green economy.